Best colleges in California
Every accredited four-year college ranked by the Compass Score: outcomes, entering students, cost and teaching, from federal data.
Best colleges in California128 schools
128 schools qualify, ranked by the Compass Score. The top 25 are shown.
How this list is made
- Schools in California.
- Accredited four-year undergraduate colleges.
- Each school needs a complete Compass Score, so every row shows a rating.
- Ordered by Compass Score, highest first. Schools with the same score share a rank.
Updated Oct. 20, 2026. Methodology. Spot an error? Send a correction.
- 1
California Institute of Technology
Pasadena, CA · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in California
- 94% graduate
- 2
Stanford University
Stanford, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Value grade A+ · Top 1%
- 92% graduate
- 3
Pomona College
Claremont, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Value grade A+ · Top 3%
- 93% graduate
- 4
Claremont McKenna College
Claremont, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Value grade B+ · Top 22%
- 91% graduate
- 5Tie
University of California-Berkeley
Berkeley, CA · PublicHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Value grade A+ · Top 1%
- 93% graduate
- 5Tie
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Value grade B · Top 46%
- 92% graduate
- 7
University of California-Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA · PublicHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Value grade A+ · Top 1%
- 93% graduate
- 8
Harvey Mudd College
Claremont, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 1% for earnings
- Value grade C+
- 92% graduate
- 9
University of California-San Diego
La Jolla, CA · PublicHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Value grade A+ · Top 1%
- 86% graduate
- 10
Soka University of America
Aliso Viejo, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 4% for graduation
- Value grade B+ · Top 22%
- 92% graduate
- 11
University of California-Irvine
Irvine, CA · PublicHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Value grade A+ · Top 2%
- 87% graduate
- 12
InterCoast Colleges-West Covina
West Covina, CA · Private for-profitTop 2% for graduation
- Value grade C+
- 97% graduate
- 13
Scripps College
Claremont, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Value grade B · Top 47%
- 83% graduate
- 14
Pitzer College
Claremont, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Value grade B-
- 83% graduate
- 15
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA · PublicHonor RollTop 4% for earnings
- Value grade A · Top 5%
- 86% graduate
- 16
Santa Clara University
Santa Clara, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 1% for earnings
- Value grade B-
- 88% graduate
- 17
University of California-Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, CA · PublicHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Value grade A+ · Top 3%
- 83% graduate
- 18
- 19
University of California-Davis
Davis, CA · PublicHonor RollTop 7% for graduation
- Value grade A+ · Top 2%
- 86% graduate
- 20
Occidental College
Los Angeles, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Value grade C+
- 81% graduate
- 21
- 22
Career Networks Institute
Santa Ana, CA · Private for-profitTop 5% for graduation
- Value grade C+
- 89% graduate
- 23
- 24
Loyola Marymount University
Los Angeles, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 9% for earnings
- Value grade C+
- 79% graduate
- 25
California Northstate University
Elk Grove, CA · Private for-profitTop 1% for graduation
- 100% graduate
Compare cost and outcomes
| School | Net price a year | Median debt | Earnings 10 years out | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California Institute of Technology | $16,075 | — | $128,566 | 94% |
| Stanford University | $13,807 | $12,000 | $124,080 | 92% |
| Pomona College | $19,285 | $11,782 | $77,779 | 93% |
| Claremont McKenna College | $28,849 | $13,500 | $104,736 | 91% |
| University of California-Berkeley | $13,481 | $13,000 | $92,446 | 93% |
| University of Southern California | $32,740 | $18,000 | $92,498 | 92% |
| University of California-Los Angeles | $12,548 | $14,000 | $82,511 | 93% |
| Harvey Mudd College | $35,924 | $25,000 | $138,687 | 92% |
| University of California-San Diego | $12,470 | $15,500 | $84,943 | 86% |
| Soka University of America | $18,260 | $15,650 | $55,017 | 92% |
| University of California-Irvine | $14,251 | $15,000 | $80,735 | 87% |
| InterCoast Colleges-West Covina | $27,536 | $10,313 | $36,089 | 97% |
| Scripps College | $36,294 | $13,500 | $77,539 | 83% |
| Pitzer College | $34,191 | $16,750 | $69,512 | 83% |
| California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | $16,665 | $18,500 | $90,768 | 86% |
| Santa Clara University | $50,062 | $19,162 | $109,183 | 88% |
| University of California-Santa Barbara | $16,109 | $13,993 | $74,915 | 83% |
| Angeles College | $28,639 | $16,522 | $49,108 | 93% |
| University of California-Davis | $14,741 | $13,000 | $80,838 | 86% |
| Occidental College | $38,263 | $23,000 | $75,951 | 81% |
| Unitek College | $25,179 | $10,700 | $79,550 | 73% |
| Career Networks Institute | $49,677 | $25,899 | $45,256 | 89% |
| Gnomon | $51,949 | $28,332 | $114,785 | 100% |
| Loyola Marymount University | $48,381 | $19,500 | $78,349 | 79% |
| California Northstate University | — | — | — | 100% |
Net price is the average yearly cost after grants. Federal data (College Scorecard). “—” means the school reports no figure.
This list in other states
- Alabama 26
- Alaska 5
- Arizona 16
- Arkansas 23
- Colorado 26
- Connecticut 26
- Delaware 4
- District of Columbia 9
- Florida 61
- Georgia 60
- Hawaii 6
- Idaho 9
- Illinois 57
- Indiana 45
- Iowa 30
- Kansas 27
- Kentucky 29
- Louisiana 24
- Maine 19
- Maryland 26
- Massachusetts 67
- Michigan 44
- Minnesota 40
- Mississippi 16
- Missouri 53
- Montana 10
- Nebraska 19
- Nevada 6
- New Hampshire 13
- New Jersey 36
- New Mexico 11
- New York 135
- North Carolina 55
- North Dakota 9
- Ohio 99
- Oklahoma 23
- Oregon 21
- Pennsylvania 118
- Puerto Rico 52
- Rhode Island 11
- South Carolina 35
- South Dakota 11
- Tennessee 43
- Texas 85
- Utah 16
- Vermont 9
- Virginia 51
- Washington 24
- West Virginia 19
- Wisconsin 36
- Wyoming 3